OpenPandora Based Bluetooth HID Offshoot Suggestion

[bluedeer]

With the glut of various different kinds of near-useless bluetooth keyboards and gamepads for Mobile devices, I was wondering...

Since the bottom of the OpenPandora houses most of the guts for the entire machine and is nearly the perfect size and shape for a handheld computer of any configuration, what is the likelyhood we could possibly see an offshoot of the OpenPandora line, but instead of having the full computer inside, having instead just the keyboard and game controls available? It could contain the needed components and self-contained battery to drive Bluetooth HID that could connect to any mobile device that supports the HID profile, and instead of the upper part for the screen a simple mechanism to clip to a Mobile phone (Say, up to a 6" device with some minor extension components such as an HTC One or a Samsung Galaxy S Line)?

You can find any number of clip-on Game Pads, and a couple of Clip-on Bluetooth Keyboards Mostly for iPhones, but that leaves many Android and Windows Mobile devices in the dark, most of which can connect via simple HID profiles. Offering a simplified version of the OpenPandora case (Doesn't need any of the special extras like SD card readers, though that would be interesting), Speakers or Controls would be something I would imagine a ton of people would be willing to plunk money down. Considering the price of many components, I'd be willing to shell out a good bit for one of these, instead of spending an unknown amount on various knock-off devices that 'may' get the job done. 

Would it be a possible viable suggestion? Perhaps an alternative for those of us who maybe aren't ready for a full OpenPandora experience, but still have a need and a desire to be a part of this experience in our own ways? 

 

[ekianjo]

You can find any number of clip-on Game Pads, and a couple of Clip-on Bluetooth Keyboards Mostly for iPhones, but that leaves many Android and Windows Mobile devices in the dark, most of which can connect via simple HID profiles. Offering a simplified version of the OpenPandora case (Doesn't need any of the special extras like SD card readers, though that would be interesting), Speakers or Controls would be something I would imagine a ton of people would be willing to plunk money down. Considering the price of many components, I'd be willing to shell out a good bit for one of these, instead of spending an unknown amount on various knock-off devices that 'may' get the job done. 

Ever heard of the ICP2 ? 

 

[Granitehead]

Simple: You buy one of those: https://www.dragonbox.de/en/pandora/228-pandora-rebirth-tv-edition-black.html and then build your own clamp.

 

[Binky]

This was thought of a long time ago:

Both the iControlPad and the iControlPad2 were projects run by Craigix (Craig Rothwell), the same guy who started the openpandora project (although he has now left, leaving EvilDragon (Michael Mrozek) to run things.

The iControlPad (no keyboard) is now out of production, but may be available second-hand

the iControlPad2 (with keyboard) was a horrible mess, with delays and missing funds. It was cancelled.

 

[Eight Bit]

Yeah, too bad it failed... Would have been a nice device.

I recently received 25$ from what was left after the kickstarter fiasco of the icp2. It's not all of the money I put in the project but at least someone had the courtesy of doing something rather than just keeping it like it was.

I wonder what became of Craig...

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

The Master Control PND is the closest thing to turn the Pandora into an iCP2.  I hope it will be enhanced in the future to allow this.  I don't care about the clamps part, if the drivers are working, I'm a happy man.

 

[bluedeer]

Yes, the second one with the keyboard is something that I would have thought would be easier to produce and market. I had heard of the iControlpad, but I think I was looking at a different device. Considering the market glut of many different combinations of devices, most of which fail mostly because of physical design or bizarre shoehorn drivers, I'm surprised that nobody has actually produced something that simply was the basics, the keyboard and the pad. Doesn't even have to have the Analogue sticks, although they'd be cool to have, but a decent D-Pad and control buttons in the correct locations in such a way that it'd be comfortable and functionally reasonable. 

I had heard of other things that involved Craig, and something about Ithic.com but I haven't been active long enough in the OpenPandora community to know more about the nuances of this project going south. Most of my interested ended up being elsewhere, such as the PSP mod community and reading rumblings about the GP2X.